Daily Scribble finishes No. 2 in voting for best Web political cartoon of 2004 About.com

"Pithy, witty, funny and on top of the news. What blogs are to political commentary, the Daily Scribble is to the editorial cartoon. I keep coming back for more."Joshua Micah Marshall,Talking Points Memo.

"Though Charles Pugsley Fincher would do well to find a stage name, his daily scribbles are nothing to scoff at. Plain and simple, on lined yellow scratch paper, yet they speak volumes." Jacob Wheeler, Utne.com.

WASHINGTON - Facing the darkest days of his presidency, President Bush is frustrated, sometimes angry and even bitter, his associates say.

...The specter of losing Rove, his only truly irreplaceable assistant, lies at the heart of Bush's distress. But a string of political reversals, including growing opposition to the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina's aftermath and Harriet Miers' bungled Supreme Court nomination, have also exacted a personal toll.

Presidential advisers and friends say Bush is a mass of contradictions: cheerful and serene, peevish and melancholy, occasionally lapsing into what he once derided as the "blame game." They describe him as beset but unbowed, convinced that history will vindicate the major decisions of his presidency even if they damage him and his party in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

At the same time, these sources say Bush, who has a long history of keeping staffers in their place, has lashed out at aides as his political woes have mounted.

"The President is just unhappy in general and casting blame all about," said one Bush insider. "Andy [Card, the chief of staff] gets his share. Karl gets his share. Even Cheney gets his share. And the press gets a big share."

The vice president remains Bush's most trusted political confidant. Even so, the Daily News has learned Bush has told associates Cheney was overly involved in intelligence issues in the runup to the Iraq war that have been seized on by Bush critics.

The name "The Illustrated Daily Scribble" is a trademark and is also copyrighted 2005 by Charles Pugsley Fincher. All illustrations and comic strips together with their characters appearing on this site are copyrighted 2005 by Charles Pugsley Fincher and may not be reproduced or used without his permission. Copyright 2005 by Charles Pugsley Fincher.